At the prestigious Watches and Wonders in Geneva this year, Wilhelm Schmid of A. Lange & Söhne stands out as a proud figure. He is celebrating the anniversary of two exceptionally rare and exclusive timepieces: The Datograph Up/Down and the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honey Gold Lumen.
During the fair’s first day, Schmid says: “It’s that time of year when it truly counts. It’s important always to remember that no matter how challenging the times are, it’s crucial to maintain a positive outlook. Knowing when to keep an eye on your watch and being able to act swiftly can indicate a better year ahead.” He also highlights the enduring passion for watches, as observed through the vibrant atmosphere at the fair.
Reflecting on the anniversary pieces, the 1999 Datograph introduction caused a major industry upheaval. It was unexpected for a small German manufacturer to unveil such a remarkable chronograph movement, especially when most relied on external suppliers for similar movements.
“From the outset, one of Mr. Blümlein’s notable achievements was his contribution to the unique design of the Datograph’s face. This design instantly distinguished it from other chronographs, with its off-centre subdials showcasing its distinctiveness.” Fast forward 25 years and the Datograph continues to symbolise excellence in the watchmaking industry. It remains the best-selling chronograph, a testament to its enduring popularity and status as a cherished member of the watchmaking legacy.
True blue
The late Günter Blümlein is honoured as a key figure in the luxury watch industry. His role in revitalising Swiss watch brands and founding A. Lange & Söhne was crucial in the resurgence of mechanical watches after the 1970s quartz crisis.
Schmid says that following the success of the Datograph, A. Lange & Söhne ventured into creating several timepieces inspired by its design. To mark the 25th anniversary of the Datograph this year, a special watch —the Datograph Up/Down in blue and white gold — was unveiled. This unique combination departed from A. Lange & Söhne’s traditional colour palette.
Regarding their collection’s potential expansion of colour choices, Schmid promptly responded with a “No,” clarifying that the limited-edition release of 125 pieces is an exception. He indicated a return to their typical strategy, stating that they would return to normal. While A. Lange & Söhne generally avoid closely following trends, one consistent feature stands out: the use of a particular colour — blue. This shade has become a hallmark across their timepieces, from the Odysseus to the Lange 1.
Since its inception, A. Lange & Söhne has consistently favoured a specific shade of blue, maintaining its essence unchanged. However, the hue may vary slightly based on the dial’s structure and surrounding features.
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For instance, in timepieces like the Triple Split, incorporating a pink gold bezel can influence the blue colour’s appearance. The presence of white gold or pink gold reflections can further impact how the blue shade is perceived, but the fundamental character of the colour remains, holding a special significance within our collection.
The Triple Split timepiece represents a pioneering achievement in horology, serving as the first mechanical split-second chronograph capable of handling multi-hour comparative time measurements. This capability is made possible through the innovative triple rattrapante mechanism, which simultaneously tracks seconds, minutes and hours.
As a result of these advancements, the Triple Split timepiece excels in accurately measuring and comparing both individual and cumulative timing, allowing for numerous intermediate and reference measurements. It also enables the concurrent tracking of two events up to twelve hours with an impressive precision down to one-sixth of a second.
Bridging the gap
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Datograph, the Perpetual Tourbillon Honey Gold Lumen will be limited to just 50 pieces. Besides the complexity of the design, there is a careful need to manage production capacity to avoid overextending resources to produce only a single watch, as noted by Schmid. This distinctive green watch glows when charged, attributed to the luminescent feature incorporated in the dials.
The journey into luminescent watches began with the Lange Zeitwerk Luminous in 2009. Following its success, A. Lange & Söhne introduced subsequent luminescent models, such as the Lange 1, the Lange 1 Moon Phase, the Datograph and the Zeitwerk. The latest addition marks their lineup’s fifth luminescent watch and the sixth overall. Schmid disclosed that while their standard production typically reaches around 200 pieces, due to the intricate nature of the timepiece, they decided to limit production to just 50 pieces on this occasion.
Apart from the intricacies of watch production, Schmid highlights other challenges specific to A. Lange & Söhne. “As a niche player in the watch market, I can’t speak for the entire industry. However, I believe we will always face significant challenges,” Schmid remarked. “Firstly, a large portion of our workforce is based in Glashütte, while our clientele is scattered globally.”
Schmid emphasises the importance of bridging the gap between Glashütte and the global customer base, recognising that maintaining this connection is vital to preventing complacency within the historically significant region. Another challenge mentioned is the unique position A. Lange & Söhne faces, where many customers value the understated luxury of their watches. The brand’s discreet reputation allows wearers to enjoy high-end timepieces without drawing unwanted attention, protecting them from envy or criticism.
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Balancing this discreet luxury with the need for recognition among the appropriate audience presents a compelling challenge. Lastly, Schmid underscores the straightforward yet crucial challenge of ensuring the continued relevance of A. Lange & Söhne’s work for the next generation.
Preserving handcrafted watchmaking’s narrative and values among youth is vital for maintaining the brand’s legacy and nurturing future clients who value craftsmanship and ethos.
The key message is centred on engagement when reaching out to younger clients. A. Lange & Söhne adopt a dual approach to connect with the newer generation. Firstly, through their watchmaker school, “We heavily invest in training the upcoming wave of watchmakers, finishers, engravers and other artisans crucial for crafting and servicing timepieces. This commitment ensures that we preserve the essential expertise required for the future of watchmaking,” he explains.
Adjusting communication strategies to match the preferences of younger demographics is also crucial. By understanding their tastes and engaging with them on platforms they frequent, Schmid aims to connect without diluting the brand’s DNA. He adds: “Striking this delicate balance is vital as we strive to stay relevant while capturing the interest of a fresh cohort of watch enthusiasts. These challenges are anticipated to persist for us and the watch industry.”
Lange’s journey
Some may be surprised that A. Lange & Söhne is only celebrating the 25th anniversary of its collection, this from a brand that has its beginnings in 1868.
The history began when Ferdinand A Lange started as a clockmaker’s apprentice at 15 in Germany. Upon completing his apprenticeship, Ferdinand travelled to France, England and Switzerland and recorded his horological insights in a journal that served as his workbook, which is on display at the manufactory in Glashütte.
Ferdinand chose Glashütte to create jobs for the town’s residents, who had lost their livelihood when ore mining was discontinued. He introduced the metric system for creating timepieces and developed the signature three-quarter plate, which is still used today, to ensure stability for the movement.
In 1868, Ferdinand changed the company name to A. Lange & Söhne when his son Richard joined the business. A few years later, his younger son Emil joined as well. Richard and Emil continued their father’s legacy after he died in 1875. In 1902, A. Lange & Söhne brought out a chiming mechanism, a minute repeater, a split-second chronograph with flying seconds and a perpetual calendar with a moon phase display.
One of Richard’s most important legacies is reworking the hairspring, a vital component in mechanical movements. He improved its quality and accuracy by adding beryllium to nickel and steel alloys. From 1948 to 1989, the manufactory was nationalised under the communist regime. After the Berlin Wall fell and reunited Germany, Walter Lange revived the brand in 1990.
Datograph Up/Down
Two unique pieces
The Datograph Up/Down showcases horological finesse, featuring a flyback mechanism, a precise jumping minute counter, an outsized date, and a power-reserve indicator. “Up/Down” refers to the power-reserve indicator at 6 o’clock, providing a visual status of the remaining 60-hour power reserve. Detecting the red zone on the third day prompts the need for a manual wind.
Operable with a single button push, the flyback mechanism swiftly executes three sequential steps for prompt time measurements with minimal lag time. This functionality mirrors early aviation tools, where the chronograph can be stopped, reset and restarted swiftly.
The precise jumping minute counter flawlessly transitions with each full rotation of the chronograph seconds hand, ensuring accuracy. The Datograph’s harmonious dial layout, including an equilateral triangle created by the twin date aperture below 12 o’clock, enhances recognition and legibility.
Introducing a splash of colour, A. Lange & Söhne incorporates a blue hue in the rhodié-coloured subsidiary dials, luminous hands and baton hour markers against an elegant blue backdrop.
The manually wound calibre L951.6, assembled with 451 meticulously crafted components and meticulously finished in true Lange tradition, showcases remarkable intricacy and craftsmanship.
Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold Lumen
The Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold Lumen impressively combines a flyback chronograph with a jumping minute counter, a perpetual calendar and a tourbillon featuring a stop-seconds mechanism, all encased in the distinctive Lange-exclusive honey gold material in a “Lumen” version.
This exceptional timepiece encompasses three classic complications: The flyback chronograph, Lange’s signature outsize date, the precise jumping minute counter and the instantly switching perpetual calendar that accounts for leap years.
The tourbillon aspect showcases a one-minute tourbillon integrated with a stop-second function to counteract gravitational effects on the watch’s precision components. Operating within a rotating cage, the tourbillon mitigates deviations caused by gravity. Completing this masterpiece is the manufacture calibre L952.4, a sophisticated movement comprising 684 intricate parts assembled with precision.
